It is certain that Monastery and Minster were originally one word in Latin; it is generally believed that Rhythm and Rhyme were one in Greek; and it is possible that _Rehetour_ and _Caterer_ had one prototype in Spanish: of this last pair only one survived; it is naturally that which, by being equal to the other in sense, excels it in harmony with the English tongue. Convinced that the office assigned to the _Rehetours_ in the lordly household could not have been filled by any such character as ascribed to the _Rehâteur_, _Reheater_, or _Rehaiteur_; convinced, moreover, that the Scottish _Rehator_, _Rehatoure_, and the English _Rehetour_ must be either both restored to their common kindred, or else consigned to common oblivion, I chose the former alternative; and after a careful inquest held on these twin foundlings, together with _Rehete_, _Reheting_, two other departed strangers of the same age, I venture to pronounce the following verdict:-- 1. A native of Spain, _Regatero_ (see Stephen's _Spanish Dictionary_, 1726, and all that is said about _Regaton_ in the _Diccionario_ of the Academy, Madrid, 1737, folio), travelling in Great Britain, changed to _Rehetour_, _Rehator_, &c. 2. By trade a retailer of provisions, huckster, or purveyor, his character strongly partook of the nature of his commodities, so as to become tainted; this appears from the quotations in Jamieson's _Etym. Dictionary_, and is attested by the Spanish proverb, _Ni compres de Regaton, ni te descuides en meson_: Wycklyffe in all three passages expresses his apprehension of "harm." The French _regrattier_ from _gratter_ (to scratch, scrape), and _Regatero_, _Regaton_, from _gato_ (a cat), whether they be, or be not, truly thus derived, bear equally marks of a contemptible impression. 3. In Wycklyffe's simile the _Rehetours_ take care of the bodily, the ecclesiastics of the spiritual food, the Pope being the steward of the household. The Scottish _Rehatour_ we find no longer as an ordinary plain dealer, but in a state of depravity, so as to be a mere byeword, even in the sense of blackguard, which word itself, if we believe Nares (see his _Glossary_) that it owes its existence to those menials of the court, cannot have been barely "a jocular name," but their disposition must have corresponded to their black exterior, otherwise the joke could not have remained a lasting stigma. I believe, however, the word _blackguard_, by inserting the _l_, merely simulates a vernacular origin, it being properly _Beguards_ (see Boiste, _Dictionnaire Universel_), from _Beghardus_ (see _Mediæval Glossaries_), once a German participle _bek[=a]rt_ (now _bekehrt_), _converted_, applied to the Frater _conversus_, secular begging monks who, increasing in number and misdeeds, soon became universally notorious, and ultimately (mixed up with impostors who assumed their dress) would serve in any capacity rather than the honest and irreproachable.